FG to unveil 4-yr plan for education sector

From JOHN ONAH, Abuja
Posted: Tuesday, July 26, 2011

THE Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education has concluded plans to put in place a four-year strategic plan of action for development of education sector.
Minister of Education, Professor Ruqqayat Rufai who disclosed this said the move is to enable the ministry encapsulate the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The minister, while speaking yesterday in Abuja during a one day retreat on President Goodluck Jonathan's Transformation Agenda,2011-2015 organised by the Federal Ministry of Education for the directorate staff and chief executives of ministry's parastatals and agencies, remarked that the four-year strategic plan is a logical extension of the one-year strategy she introduced during her first term in office.
"The strategic document, as in the one year strategic plan, will be focus driven with measurable targets and timelines. In the spirit of continuity, the strategic document to be developed would draw lessons from the one year plan is guided by the issues in the Roadmap for the Nigerian education sector and the Report of the Presidential Task Team on Education," she explained.
She added that the two new priority areas; strengthening the institutional management of education and teacher education and development would also receive attention while technical and vocational education and training as well as guidance and counselling and quality assurance.
The minister also disclosed that the ministry has forwarded a draft bill for the enactment of an Act for the establishment of a National Education Quality Assurance Commission, noting that greater attention would be focused on quality assurance saying "I recall that the issue of quality was raised during my screening in the Senate and I assured the distinguished Senators that the would be addressed."
She however stated that prior to the finalisation of the four year strategic plan, the ministry would come up with a 100-day Action Plan (July-October, 2011) in compliance with the President's directive noting that the plan would unveiled before the end of this week.
Professor Rufai further disclosed that President Jonathan has assented to the Education Trust Fund (ETF) Amended Act which according to her provides that the Fund would only intervene in the funding of tertiary institutions saying " this, I believe would address most of the funding challenges of this sub-sector of education".